Method of producing n acyl alpha amino acids

ABSTRACT

WHEN AN ALDEHYDE IS REACTED WITH CARBON MONOXIDE AND THE AMIDE OF A CARBOXYLIC ACID IN THE PRESENCE OF A CARBONYLATION CATALYST, THERE IS OBATINED THE N-ACYL DERIVATIVE OF AN A-AMINO ACID HAVING ONE MORE CARBON ATOM THAN THE ALDEHYDE USED, THE ACYL GROUP CORRESPONDING TO THAT OF THE AMIDE. THE REACTANTS MAY BE FORMED N SITU. AMINO ACIDS MAY BE PRODUCES BY HYDROLYZING THE N-ACYL-AAMINO ACID.

United States Patent 3,766,266 METHOD OF PRODUCING N-ACYL-ALPHA- AMINO ACIDS Hachiro Wakamatsu and Jyunko Uda, Tokyo, and Nobuyuki Yamagami, Kawasaki, Japan, assignors to Ajinomoto Co., Inc., Tokyo, Japan No Drawing. Filed Mar. 25, 1971, Ser. No. 128,164 Claims priority, application Japan, Apr. 4, 1970, 45/28,773 Int. Cl. C07c 99/00 US. Cl. 260-534 C 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE When an aldehyde is reacted with carbon monoxide and the amide of a carboxylic acid in the presence of a carbonylation catalyst, there is obatined the N-acyl derivative of an a-amino acid having one more carbon atom than the aldehyde used, the acyl group corresponding to that of the amide. The reactants may be formed in situ. Amino acids may be produced by hydrolyzing the N-acyl-aamino acid.

This invention relates to the synthesis of N-acyl-aamino acids, including oligopeptides.

It has been attempted to synthesize a-amino acids or derivatives thereby reacting a Schifi base or a nitrile with carbon monoxide and hydrogen, but the attempt failed [Bull. Chem. Soc. Japan 33 (1960) 78].

It has now been found that N-acyl-oc-amino acids can be obtained when compounds providing a formyl group and a carbamoyl group having at least one active hydrogen atom are reacted with carbon monoxide in the presence of a carbonylation catalyst under carbonylation conditions. The reaction of this invention may be represented by the following formula:

wherein R, R and R" may be hydrogen or organic radicals, R and R' may be portions of the same radical so that the product formed is cyclic.

Any aldehyde may be used in the method of the invention. More specifically, aliphatic, alicyclic, aromatic, and heterocyclic aldehyde have been used successfully in the method of the invention. Aldehydes giving good yields with suitable amides include formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, propionaldehyde, butyraldehyde, phenylacetaldehyde, 2,4-dihydroxyphenylacetaldehyde, indolylacetaldehyde, crotonaldehyde, formylpropionaldehyde, B-formylpropionic acid and its esters, B-methylmercaptopropionaldehyde, glycolaldehyde, a-acetoxypropionaldehyde, e-phthalimino-nvaleraldehyde, stearaldehyde, benzaldehyde, furfural, indolaldehyde, adipaldehyde, acrolein, and others which will partly become apparent as the disclosure proceeds.

The source of the carbamoyl group having at least one active hydrogen atom may be the amide of any carboxylic acid, more specifically, of any aliphatic, aromatic, alicyclic, or heterocyclic carboxylic acid. The number of carbon atoms and the structure of the amide are not critical. Cyclic amides are useful if they contain the carbamoyl group CONH.

Suitable amides thus include, but are not limited to, formamide, acetamide, glycinamide, phthalylglycine amide, N-alkylacetamides, N-acetylmethionine amide, pyrrolidonecarboxylic acid, 2-pyrrolidone, urea, benzamide, propionamide, lauramide, tartaric acid amide, aspartic acid amide, glutamic acid amide, L-leucine amide, L- pyrrolidonecarboxylic acid amide, acrylic amide, crotonamide, diacetamide, and the like. Amides identified as optically active are also effective in the form of other Patented Oct. 16, 1973 ice enantiomorphs or as racemates, and amides enumerated which may be optically active, but have not been so identified, are effective in both the optically active and inactive forms.

Compounds which contain both a formyl group and a carbamoyl group or monosubstituted carbamoyl group may be reacted with carbon monoxide to form cyclic amino acids. Such compounds include formalypropionamide, formylbutyramide, and formylcapronamide. The reaction product is a lactam carboxylic acid. Obviously, such compounds having dual functional groups may also be reacted with another aldehyde or another amide.

The formyl and/or carbamoyl groups may be formed in situ from suitable precursors in a preliminary reaction or simultaneously with the principal reaction by the efiect of the carbon monoxide or of a secondary reactant. Thus aldehydes may be formed by the decomposition of polymers, such as paraldehyde or paraformaldehyde, of acetals, and the like. They may also be formed by hydrogenation or hydroformylation of precursors under the conditions of the reaction of this invention from acid anhydrides (see German Patent No. 2,016,061) or olefins, by isomerization of epoxides and the like.

The amides required for the reaction of the invention may be derived from the ammonium salts of the corresponding carboxylic acids or their nitriles, or from a corresponding ester by the action of ammonia.

The carbon monoxide employed need not satisfy particular purity requirements although catalyst poisons will be avoided if the reaction is intended to continue over an extended period. Hydrogen in a limited amount may be present, and tends to increase the rate of reaction and the yield of the desired N-acyl-a-amino acid when present in the carbon monoxide. Nitrogen, methane, and carbon dioxide, which are normal minor constituents of water gas, have no adverse effect on the reaction and such secondary gases may be employed for producing an aldehyde or amide from a precursor under reaction conditions.

The catalysts effective for the purposes of this invention are those known to be useful in carbonylation and hydrocarbonylation reactions and include the transition elements, more particularly the elements of the iron group (iron, cobalt, nickel) and the platinum metals (ruthenium, rhodium, palladium, osmium, iridium, and platinum). They may be supplied to the reaction zone in the metallic state, preferably finely dispersed, as carbonyls, or as salts or complexes which form the metals or the carbonyls under the reaction conditions. Better results are normally obtained when compounds containing phosphorus, nitro gen, oxygen, halogens, which are known cocatalysts for hydroformylation and carbonylation reactions are used as ligands.

The formyl and carbamoyl groups react in a 1:1 ratio, but the aldehydes and amides need not be present in the reaction mixture in such a ratio. It is normally most economical to have equivalent amounts of the aldehyde and amide present in the mixture, but an excess of amide may be used to increase the yield where the aldehyde is more costly and vice versa. The carbon monoxide is normally present in excess over the aldehyde and amide when gaseous carbon monoxide is supplied to the reaction zone, but such an excess is not required, and there is no upper limit to the amount of carbon monoxide which may be present in the reaction zone.

The amount of catalysts employed varies greatly with the metal used, but it is usually within the range of 10- to 10,000- moles per mole of the product formed. However, a metallic carbonyl, e.g., cobalt carbonyl, may be used in stoichiometric amounts relative to the formyl and carbamoyl groups also to provide carbon monoxide. The reaction in this instance may be performed at ambient temperature and pressure, but elevated pressures and temperatures are necessary and preferred under other condiand the upper limits of temperature and pressure are established by such extraneous consideration as the capability of the equipment used and the sensitivity of the w The solvent was distilled from the remainder of the reaction mixture, and the residue was refluxed with 8 N hydrochloric acid for three hours. The hydrolyzate so obtained waspassed in part over a cation exchange resin (Amberlite IR-120), and pure alanine was eluted from the resin and identified by its infrared spectrum, melting point, elementary analysis, and thin layer chromatography. The alanine content of the hydrolyzate'was determined by gas chromatography after treating wtih bis (trimethylsilyl)acetamide. 38.8 millimoles were found corresponding to a 94% yield based on the acetamide consumed.

EXAMPLE 2 In a manner closely analogous to the procedure of Example 1, 50 millimoles each of aldehyde and amide l5 reactants, the catalyst of Product were reacted in the presence of dlcobalt octacarbonyl with The feactlofl y beecamed out In a System Conslstmg a' mixture of three volumes of carbon monoxide and one solely of a source of formyl up a source of carbamoyl volume of hydrogen at an initial pressure of 200 kg./cm. groups Pal/111g at least one actlve y g n atomi Car-r The aldehydes, amides, and solvents reacted, the reaction bonvletlon catalyst, and a source of carbon n x the temperature, the reaction product and its melting point, provlswn of a single compound capable of provldmg more and the yield in millimoles are listed in Table 1. In the than one component of the system not being excludedtable, the amides are identified by capital'letters as follows: It is usually preferred to perform the reaction in a system A, acetamide; F, formamide; B, benzamide; L, lauramide. which includes a solvent asadiluent. The solvents normal- The solventsare identified by numbers: 1, dioxane; 2, 1y employed in carbonylation and hydrocarbonylation acetic acid; 3, ethylacetate.

TABLE 1 Amide] Temp., M.P., Yield, Aldehyde solvent 0. Product 7 C. nnnole Formaldehy All 110 N-aeetylglycine... 294/5 12.4 Propionaldehyde A/2 150 N-aeetyl-a-amiHO- 130/3 22. i-Butyra1dehyde A/1 120 N-aeetylvalme 145/7 35. Phenylacetaldehyde All 140 N-acetylphenylalanme 148/151.5 26. fl-Formylpropionic acid methyl ester A/3 120 N-aeetylglutamlc ac.- methyl ester... 110/2 40. fl oyanopropionaldehyde All 120 N-acetyl-y-cyanq-a-amlnobutyr. ac. 115/121 29. -Methylmercaptopropionaldehyde A/3 120 N-acetylmethionlne 113.5/114.5 35. Acetaldehyden F/2 130 N-formylalamne 143/6 5. 0 13/1 120 N-benzoylalanine. 165/8 14. Do L/3 120 N-lauroylalanine- 105/7 34. i-Butyraldehyde L/3 120 N-lauroylvaline 85/8 82, B-Cyanopropionaldehyda L/3 120 N-1auroyl-- -eyano-a armnobutyr. acld /7 34.

reactions are also effective for this invention. The solvent may be the free acid whose amide provides the carbamoyl groups, or an ester of the acid. If an alcohol is present in the solvent, a corresponding ester of the N-acyl-aamino acid is usually formed. Other secondary reactions may occur in the reaction medium to cause cyclisation or 4 condensation of the primary reaction product- If it is desired to recover the reaction product from the reaction mixture, it is normally preferred first to remove the catalyst and the solvent, if any. The recovery methods will be obvious to those skilled in the art from the nature of the specific product to be recovered.

Amino acids may be prepared by the method of the invention by hydrolysis'of the N-acyl derivatives in an obvious manner.

The following examples further illustrate this invention.

EXAMPLE 1 and a yellowish-brown, clear liquid was poured from i the vessel. It was found to contain 40 milliequivalents of a carboxylic acid.

From an aliquot of the reaction mixture, the carboxylic acid was recovered by means of an anion exchange resin.

(Amberlite IR-4B), andthe material recovered by elution was identified as N-acetylalanine'by elementary analysis, melting point, and infrared spectrum.

EXAMPLE 3 The procedure of Example 2 was used in reacting 0L- acetoxypropionaldehyde and acetamide in ethyl acetate at C. for 20 minutes,'acetaldehyde and acrylamide in dioxane at 120 C. for 60 minutes, and acetaldehyde and nicotinamide in benzene at C. for 15 minutes. The reaction mixtures were heated with hydrochloric acid as in Example 1, and the free amino acids were recovered, threonine; alanine, and again alanine being obtained in yields of 0.9, 4.0, and 2.0 millimoles respectively.

The acids were identified by their infrared spectra, NMRspectra, and by elementary analysis.

EXAMPLE 4 The afore-described pressure vessel was charged with 1.76 g. (40 millimoles) acetaldehyde, 7.6g. (40 millimoleslacetylmethionine amide, 224 mg. dicobalt octacarbonyl, and 40 ml. ethyl acetate. A 3:1 mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen was forced into the vessel to raise the pressure to 200 kg./cm.

The reaction mixture was stirred at 160 C. for 30 minutes, whereby 30.9 millimoles of the gas were absorbed. The reaction mixture removed from the vessel had a faint, yellowish-brown color and contained 13.6 milliequivalents of carboxylic acid. The solvent was removed, and a portion of the residue was hydrolyzed with 8 N hydrochloric acid for three hours.

Alanine and methionine were identified in the hydrolysis mixture by means of paper chromatography using a 4/ 1/ 1 n-butanol/acetic acid/water solvent system. The alanine content was 6.33 millimoles as determined by an amino acid analyzer.

From another portion of the'afore-mentioned. residue, 7

the carboxylic acid present was isolated by means of an anionic exchange resin (Amberlite IR-45). It was found EXAMPLE 5 When 34 millimoles acetaldehyde and 29 millimoles phthalylglycine amide were reacted in the manner of Example 4, the hydrolysis mixture contained 3.6 millimoles alanine, and 4.8 millimoles alanine were found in the hydrolysis mixture obtained after reaction of 50 millimoles each of acetaldehyde and carbobenzoxyaspartic acid amide.

EXAMPLE 6 The pressure vessel referred to above was charged with 1.5 g. (50 millimoles) paraformaldehyde, 3.0 g. (50 millimoles) acetamide, 300 mg. dicobalt octacarbonyl, and 50 ml. dioxane, followed by a 3:1 mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen to a pressure of 300 kg./cm. The reaction mixture was stirred at 120 C. for minutes, whereby 52 millimoles gas were absorbed. The reaction product was a clear, yellowish-brown liquid which contained 11 milliequivalents of carboxylic acid, as determined by titration.

After removal of the solvent, the resindue was bydrolyzed with hydrochloric acid as above. The hydrolyzate was analyzed by means of an amino acid analyzer and was found to contain 16.9 millimoles glycine corresponding to a 45.7% yield based on the acetamide consumed.

EXAMPLE 7 3.8 g. (50 millimoles) formaldehyde dimethyl acetal, 3.0 g. (50 milimoles) acetamide, 300 mg. dicobalt octacarbonyl, and 50 ml. dioxane were placed in the aforementioned pressure vessel which was then charged with a 3:1 mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen to a pressure of 200 kg./cm. The mixture in the sealed reactor was stirred at 120 C. for 60 minutes, whereby 76 millimoles gas were absorbed. The reaction mixture, a yellowish-brown, clear liquid, contained 13.3 milliequivalents of carboxylic acid.

The solvent was distilled off, the residue was hydrolyzed with 8 N hydrochloric acid in three hours, and the hydrolyzation mixture was fed to an amino acid analyzer which found 13.7 millimoles glycine, corresponding to a 72.5% yield based on the consumed acetamide.

EXAMPLE 8 The pressure vessel was charged with 2.2 g. (50 millimoles) acetaldehyde, 4.3 g. (50 millimoles) N-ethylacetamide, 300 mg. dicobalt octacarbonyl, 50 ml. ethyl acetate, and enough of a 3:1 mixture of carbon mon oxide and hydrogen to raise the gas pressure to 200 kg./ cm. The contents of the vessel were stirred at 120- 140 C. for 45 minutes, whereby 32.8 millimoles gas were absorbed. The clear, faintly green reaction mixture contained 30.5 milliequivalents carboxylic acid.

Upon partial evaporation and cooling of the reaction mixture, a crystalline precipitate was formed. After recrystallization from ethyl acetate, the product melted at 100-112 C. and was identified as N-ethyl-acetylalanine by its infrared spectrum, NMR spectrum, and by elementary analysis.

EXAMPLE 9 The same pressure vessel was charged with 1.54 g. (33.8 millimoles) acetaldehyde, 3.78 g. succinamic acid, 300 mg. dicobalt octacarbonyl, 40 ml. ethyl acetate, and enough of a 3:1 mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen to raise the pressure to 200 kg./cm. The contents of the vessel were stirred at 150-160 C. for min utes, whereby 22.4 millimole gas were absorbed. The reaction mixture was yellowish-brown.

It was hydrolyzed as described above, and alanine was identified in the hydrolyzation mixture by means of a paper chromatogram. The alanine content was found'to be 1.0 millimole by means of an amino acid analyzer.

EXAMPLE 10 50 ml. ethyl acetate, and enough ofa mixture of equal volumes of carbon monoxide and hydrogen to raise the pressure to 200 kg./cm. The mixture in the vessel was stirred at C. for 30 minutes, whereby 80.1 millimoles gas were absorbed.

3.0 g. acetamide were added to the hydroformylation mixture so obtained, and the vessel was sealed again and brought to 200 kg./cm. with a 3:1 mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The contents of the vessel were stirred thereafter at 140 C. for 60 minutes and 38.9 millimoles gas were absorbed. The product so obtained was of reddish-brown color and clear, and it contained 39.1 milliequivalents of carboxylic acid.

The solvent was removed by distillation, and the residuce was hydrolyzed with strong hydrochloric acid as above. Glutamic acid was identified in the hydrolyzate by means of paper chromatography, and an amino acid analyzer found 29.8 millimoles glutamic acid and 3.9 millimoles fl-methylaspartic acid.

EXAMPLE 11 The pressure 'vessel described above was charged with 5.10 g. (50 millimoles) acetic anhydride, 3.8 g. (50 millimoles) acetamide, 300 mg. dicobalt octacarbonyl, 50 ml. acetone, and enough of equal volumes of carbon monoxide and hydrogen to raise the gas pressure to 200 kg./ cm. The contents of the vessel were stirred for 30 minutes at 0., whereby 45.3 millimoles gas were absorbed.

The solvent was removed from the faintly yellow, clear reaction mixture, and the residue was hydrolyzed with 8 N hydrochloric acid in three hours. 12.3 millimoles alanine were found in the hydrolysis mixture by means of an amino acid analyzer.

EXAMPLE 12 The pressure vessel was charged with 6.0 'g. (50 millimoles) styrene oxide (epoxyethylbenzene), 300 mg. dicobalt octacarbonyl, 50 ml. dioxane, and equal volumes of carbon monoxide and hydrogen to raise the gas pressure to 200 kg./cm. The contents of the vessel were stirred at C. for 110 minutes, whereby 54.5 millimoles gas were absorbed. The dark red, clear reaction mixture contained 20 milliequivalents carboxylic acid, as determined by titration.

The dioxane was removed, the residue was dissolved in ethyl acetate, and the solution was extracted with an aqueous sodium carbonate solution (pH 8). The water layer was acidified to pH 2 with sulfuric acid and extracted with fresh ethyl acetate.

The ethyl acetate was evaporated, and the residue was dissolved in water, the solution was treated with active carbon and partly evaporated to precipitate crystals melting at 148 C.151.5 C. which were identified as N- acetylphenylalanine by their infrared spectrum and elementary analysis.

EXAMPLE 13 The pressure vessel was charged with 2.0 g. (50 millimoles) acetonitrile, 5.0 g. (50 millimoles) acetic anhydride, 50 ml. glacial acetic acid, and enough of a 3:1 mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen to raise the pressure to 200 kg./cm. The contents of the vessel were stirred at C. for 80 minutes, whereby 98.2 millimoles gas were absorbed.

The reaction mixture was clear and had a dark, reddishbrown color. The solvent was removed, and the residue was hydrolyzed as describedabove. 7.4 millimoles a,-ala-.. f

nine were found in the hydrolyzate by means of an amino acid analyzer-.. I a p 7 g i a ,EXAMPLE14 j.

The reaction vessel was charged with 5.0g. (50; milli- 7 moles) 'diacetamide, 300mg. dicobalt octacarbonyl, .i50

ml. acetic anhydride, and equal. volumes of carbonmom cm.'. The contents of the vesselwere stirred at 130C.

7 I I0 oxide andih'ydrogen to raise the pressure to 200;'kg./

for 90minutes,-whereby 179.6 millimoles'ga s were absorbed.

The reaction mixture was brown and semi=transparent: The solvent was removed, and theresidue was hydrolyzed as described above. Alanine was identified in the hydrolyzate'in a paper chromatogram developed by means 'of butanol/aceticacid/water4/1/1..R value 0.3-. 1

EXAMPLE action mixture was evaporated, and the residue was hydrolyzed with 8 N hydrochloric acid in three hours. V

Alanine was identified in a paper chromatogram of the hydrolyzate, and 10.3. millimolesalaninewere found by an amino acid analyzer, corresponding to; a 5.0% yield I based on the dicobalt o'ctacarbonyl. 7

EXAMPLE .18

The afore-mentioned pressure vessel was charged with r 2.2 g. (50 millimoles).acetald'ehyde, 3.0 g. '(510' millimoles) acetamide, 9 3.3. millimoles palladium dichloride, 0.2 ml. concentratedhydrochloric, acid, 50ml. ethyl acetate, and enough of a 3:1 mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen to raise the gas. pressure inthe vessetto 200 kg./cm.

T he material in the vessel was stirred for minutes at 4 160 C. The reaction mixture so obtained. was clear and The pressure vessel was charged with-5.2 g; (50*mi1limoles) ti-methylmerca'ptopropionaldehyde, 3.0 g; (50' millimoles) 'acetamide, 300 mg. dicobalt octacarbonyl, 2.6 g. methanol, 50 ml. benzene, and a 3:1 mixture ofcarbon monoxide and hydrogengas to. raise the pressure to i 200 kg.'/cm. The contents of the vessel were stirred at 120 C. for 35 minutes, whereby 36.8 millimoles gas were absorbed. The reaction mixture had a faint, yellowishbrown color, and was'found by titration to contain 17.3

'Another portion of the reaction mixture was stripped L 6 faintly yellow'and contained boxylic acid. :v The solvent was evaporated, and the residue was hydrolyzed with 8 N hydrochloric acid in three. hours. It con tained 2.1 millimoles alanine as determined by means or. an amino acid analyzer; 7

EXAMPLE 19 "The pressure vessel was charged with 2.2g. (50 rnilli- V 7 moles) acetaldehyde, 3.0 g. (.50' millimoles) acetamide, 300 mg. dicobalt octacarbonyl, 50 ml. acetic acid, and

carbon monoxide to a pressure of. 150 kg./cm;. The contents of the vessel were heated to 140 C. for 50 minutes, whereby 31.6 millimols carbon monoxide were absorbed.

. The reaction mixture so obtained was brown and clear.

The solvent was removed, and the residue was hydro 'lyzed as described above. The hydrolyzate wastreated wtih bis(trimethylsilyl) acetamide and w'asxthenanalyzed of solvent in avacuum, and the residue was treatediwith.

methionine and was hydrolyzed by means of 8' N hydrochloric acid. The hydrolysis mixture was found to contain 2.12 millimoles methionine. The infrared spectrum of the reaction mixture showed the characteristic. absorption peak of an ester at 1725 cm.-

EXAMPLE .16.

The pressure vessel was charged with 2.2 g. (50 millimoles) acetaldehyde, 3.0 g. (50 millimoles) acetamide, 420 mg. cobalt acetate, 50ml. acetic acid, and enough of a 3:1 mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen to bring the gas pressure to 200-'kg./cm. The contents of the vessel were stirred at. 140 C. for 60 minutes, where-1;,

by 56.2 millimoles gas were absorbed. The. reaction mixture, which was brownish and clear, contained 49.3 milliequivalents carboxylic acid.

The solvent. was evaporated ina vacuum-,1 andf the'w residue was hydrolyzed with 8 'N hydrochloric acid in. three hours. It contained millimoles alanine, as determ ned by wear n d n lst-e r EXAMPLEQ17 ml. acetone were placedin a Schlenk tube under a. pro tective atmosphere of flowing nitrogen. 7 g. (160' millimoles) acetaldehyde, 9.4g. (160 millimoles) acetamide, and 5.7 g. concentrated hydrochloric acid weradded. 75

After standing at room temperature for 41 hours, the reananion exchange resin (Amberlite l R-45) to collectthe carboxylic acids present. The effluent was found by micro- 7 bioassay to contain. neither N-acetylmethionine nor by quantitative gas chromatography. 25.2 millimoles of alanine were found corresponding to a 75.7% yield based on the consumed 'aeetamide.

While the: invention has been described with: particular reference. to specific embodimerits, it is to be understood? that it is not limited thereto, but is tobe construed broadly and 'restrictedsolelyby the scope of theappended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of producing an N-acyl-a-amino acid which comprises holding an aldehyde, an amide of a carboxylic acid, and carbon monoxide at a temperature of 10 to 300 C. and at. a pressure between atmospheric pressure and 500 atmospheres in the presence of a carbonylation 'catalyst until said N-aeyl-a-amino acid is formed by condensation of one mole equivalent each of said amide, said aldehyde, and sai'd'carbon monoxide,

I said aldehyde having a formyl group bound .to'hydrogen or to saturated carbon, said amide having a carbamoyl. V

group including atleast one active hydrogen attached to the nitrogen thereof, and said carbonylation catalyst containing, as the principal active, agent, a transition element of the iron group or oftheplatinum group:

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, wherein hydrogen hyde and said amide are dispersed in a liquidf inert' dilu- A A I ent while being held at said temperature and pressure.

7 53 A method as set forth, in claim '1', wherein a'rnetallic 6.8 g. (.ZOWrniilimQIe-s)edicobalt {octacarbonyl' 1 as some? 'i 3 9? 4 y 6. The method as setforth in claim 1 wherein the. alde- 'hyde is acetaldehyde, the amide is acetamide and catalyst is dicobalt octacarbonyl,

the

(References on following page) l3 .milliequivalents of car- 10 References Cited Chalk et al.: Catalysis by Cobalt Carbonyls (1968), FOREIG PATENTS vol. 6, Advances in Organornetallic Chem.AP, New

N York, pp. 157-63 (1968). 1,034,298 6/1966 Great Britain 260-455 A OTHER REFERENCES 5 G. H. HOLLRAH, Primary Examiner Decombe: The Condensation of Chloral With Acet- CL anilide, etc. (1953), CA48, p. 10022 (1954).

Imyanitov et 1 Amide synthesis 19 9) 71 260326.12, 326.14, 326.3, 347.2, 347.3, 404, 404.5,

7013 19 9) 481 R, 482 R, 514 R, 518 R, 534 R, 534 E, 534 G,

Wakamatsu: Hydroformylation of Simple Olefins, 10 534 534 S etc. (1964), CA61, p. 13173 (1964). 

